Locking bar acturating mechanism



Jan. 27, 1942. G. H. JONES ET AL LOCKING BAR ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3, 1940 650E9 5 A. .fo/vga Patented Jan- 27, 1942 LI] UNITE YSTATE LOCKING BAR ACTUATING MEOHAN ISM 'George H.; Jones and Peer D.; Nielsen, Lorain, Ohio, assignors to National Tube Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,606

2 Claims.

This invention relatesv to improvements-in lock rod operating devices used on machinesfor handling the charging boxes in the charging of'scrap ore or other materials in, melting furnaces such as open hearth furnaces or the like. ySuch charging boxes are filled with materials and engaged in sequence by the charging machines,

locked in position, then lifted and advanced into the furnace. Rotationof the ,boxdischarges the contents thereof, whereupon it is withdrawn from the furnace and deposited on a car or other support and disengaged from the, charging machine. The operationmay then be repeated in connection with, other charging boxes. The

, locking rod, in accordance with the present invention, may be either'manually or power-operated, and it is effectivefor preventing the box from becoming disengaged. from the ram of the charging machine during the operation.

In practice, it is necessary that positive and reliable means be employed. to advance the looking rodinto position, to hold it securely in place for the desired interval, and permit its ready withdrawal when it is desired to disengage the ram in the charging box.

Heretofore both manually and mechanically operated devices have been used'for actuating charging machine locking bars, but these known devices, particularly those which are mechanically operated, are complicated, expensive to manufa-cture and maintain, and in some cases have been found to be unreliable.

The present invention aims to provide a relatively simple locking baractuating device which lends itself equally well to either manual'or power operation. The features of the invention will be fully apparent from the following detailed disclosure when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, and will be defined with particularity in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of a charging machine mounted in juxtaposition to an open hearth furnace, the charging machine being provided with an improved locking rod operating device embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a skeletonized view showing portions of the charging machine and its relation to the locking rod operatingmechanism of the present invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of the righthand portion of Figure 2, showing in detail .the improved features of the locking rod operating mechanism.

Referring in detail to the drawing, F is a conventional representation of an openhearthfur nace which i to be charged by a chargingmachine embodying the operating device of the present invention. Thecharging machine,-indicated asa whole at M, rides on tracks T which extend longitudinally in front of several furnaces. As illustrated, the'machine is adapted't'o sequentially engage charging boxes B, enter them into the furnace, dump the contents thereof, withdraw, and deposit them on a suitable car Q traveling on tracks directly in front of the furnaces.- l

The present invention is directed particularly to an'improved arrangement of warmin instrumentalities for easily and quickly disengaging the locking rod l,- best shown in Figure 2, from the charging box B, this locking rod being arranged to be actuated either by power means or by man ual effort. The change from manual'to power operation can be made by the simple insertion or removal of certain connecting pins, as will hereinafter morefully appear.

At its rear extremity the locking bar engages a ball-joint 2 journaled in a' split crosshead 3 which slidably, engages an arcuate slot 4 formed in a depending arm 5 pivotallysupported on a pin 6 carried by a bracket mounted on a carriage R which is movable toward and from the furnace on suitable guide tracks supported by the charging machine M.

Near its lower' end, the arm 5 is pivotally connected by means of 'a link with the arm 8 of a bell crank which is connected by means of a link 9 with the core ll! of a double acting solenoid ll mounted on a suitable bracket which moves toward and from the furna-cewith thecarriage R. A removable pin l2 provides means whereby the locking rod can be actuated either by the power of the solenoid or by manual means to be presently described. The bell crank B is mounted on a rock shaft ll to which is secured a lever I3 adapted to be selectively connected, by means of a removable pin M, with a connectingrod l5 whose lower end is connected by a pin IS with a manually operable lever l6 carried by shaft Hi suitably journaled in bearing mounted on the carriage R. When the lockingrodl is to'be operated manually, the pin I2 is removed, thus disconnecting the link 9 and solenoid II and permitting the motion of the hand lever Hi to be transmitted to the locking bar through the connecting rod l5, lever l3, rock shaft 8 bell crank arm 8, link I, arm 5, crosshead 3, and ball-joint 2. When the locking rod is to be operated by the power means, the pin I2 is inserted, and at this time the hand lever l6 and rod I5 are rendered ineffective by removal of the pin M. In the event of failure of the solenoid II to properly operate, manual operation of the locking rod can be quickly and easily resumed upon replacement of the pin [4 and removal of the pin I2, as will be understood.

To look the ram l8 in the charging box B, the lever I6 is pushed forward to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3. This causes rod l5 to move to the right, thus moving lever [3 in a clockwise direction about its shaft, which causes link I to move the arm 5 in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin 6, thereby advancing the looking bar I through the ram l8 and spindle 23 into the socket formed in the head of the charging box B. Retraction of the locking bar is accomplished manually by reversal of the above movements. The power operation of the bar, it will be understood, is effected by the solenoid transmitting motion through the parts 9, I 2 and 8, instead of the parts [6, l5 and I3.

The ram and spindle of the charging machine, in accordance with usual practice, are arranged for rotation about their common longitudinal axis, to permit the charging box to be rotated and dumped into the furnace. As is also customary, the spindle is mounted on a trunnion 20 and is adapted to be rocked through a small arc by means of a crank 2| and pitman 22 which is pivotally connected at 22 to the spindle-supporting frame 24. Because the parts are mounted for pivotal movement about the trunnion 20,

it is necessary that the locking bar and its actuating mechanism be arranged to compensate for such movement. Rotation of the locking bar I with the ram is permitted, since the ball-joint 2 can turn freely in the crosshead 3. Vertical movement of the bar is made possible without disturbing the position of the operating levers and rods by the novel design of the arm 5 in which the crosshead 3 is free to move in the slot 4. This slot is arcuate, and the radius thereof is struck from the pivotal axis of the trunnion 20. With the parts thus constructed and arranged and the locking bar in locked position, the ram can assume any position within its own limits without imparting any longitudinal movement to the locking bar. With the locking bar withdrawn from locked position, it can moveslightly,-

but the movement is of such small magnitude that it is of no consequence. However, acornpensating slot Il may be provided in the connecting rod 1 to eliminate the transmittal of this movement to the hand lever l6. Such arrangement is distinguished from prior conventional charging machines wherein the hand lever oscillates over a wide are as the ram is rocked about the trunnion 20 and thus endangers the safety of the charging machine operator. Such objectionable movement of the hand lever with relation to the operators platform in the prior conventional locking bar arrangement is brought about by the fact that the elevation of the operators platform is. constant to the relation of the floor, whereas the lock bar moves up and down with the ram. Since the ram-actuating mechanism is usually so connected in the conventional.

system that all parts must move with the ram, there has been no alternative but to allow the hand lever to swing through a considerable arc as the ram is shifted. This objectionable feature is eliminated in the device of the present compensated for by the slotted arm 5.

invention by the provision of the ball-joint and crosshead operating in the arcuate slot of the arm 5, as herein disclosed. In most mechanically operated locking bars with which we are familiar, the operating mechanism is arranged so that it travels with the ram and is connected with the operators platform solely by electrical means. In the novel arrangement herein disclosed, it is possible to mount the source of power on the carriage upon which the operators platform is supported, as relative motion between the locking bar and the solenoid or hand lever is Such location of the operators platform is advantageous in that the parts are thus made readily accessible for inspection and repair. It is also to be noted that the arrangement of the ball-joint in the inner end of the locking bar permits the latter to rotate freely with the ram and the charging box, so that wear at the outer end of the locking bar is held to a minimum.

The parts constructed and arranged as hereinbefore described are superior to prior art devices for the following reasons: both the manual r and mechanical operating mechanisms are sim.-

pler than any equipment on the market; the operation can be changed from manual to me.- chanical or vice versa by simple means; the movement of ram and locking bar through vertical arc is not transmitted beyond arm 5 to .operating rods and levers; hazardous oscillation of hand lever at operating platform is eliminated; the locking bar is free to rotate with ram and charging box, thus eliminating wear. on the end of the rod and in the charging box head socket; longitudinal movement of locking rod with respect to associated parts cannot occur ex,- cept when initiated by operation of solenoid I! or hand lever I6; and the simplicity of our novel design effects important savings in the cost of manufacture and maintenance.

The power operation through solenoid, levers and segmental arm ismuch less complicated than any other mechanically operated devices heretofore available so far as we are aware.

The mounting of the solenoid or other source .of mechanical power on the carriage instead of on the moving ramparts is an improvement over other known designs.

While we have described quite specifically the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A charging machine of the character described, having a carriage thereon movable toward and from a furnace to be charged, a ram for handling charging boxes, trunnion means pivotally supporting the ram from said carriage to permit limited angular movement of the ram, a locking 'rod extending through the ram for securing the box to one end thereof, and means at the opposite end of the ram for actuating the rod including an arm pivotally mounted on the carriage, a slide connection between the arm and rod whereby the ram may be rocked without lifting or lowering said arm, and means mounted on said carriage operatively connected with said arm and effective to rock it to impart movement to said locking rod through said slide connection.

2. A charging .machine of the character described, having a carriage thereon movable toward and from a furnace to be charged, a ram ber slidable in said slot having a ball and socket connection with the locking rod, and operating means mounted on said carriage and connected with said arm for imparting locking and re- 5 leasing movements to said rod.

GEORGE H. JONES. PEER D. NIELSEN. 

